Category Archives: Bloor-Sherbourne neighbourhood

The Clarion Hotel & Suites Selby mansion at 592 Sherbourne Street is where celebrated writer Ernest Hemingway and his wife, Hadley, lived in the 1920s while Hemingway worked as a foreign correspondent for the Toronto Star.

Tower and townhouses: A condominium complex featuring a 52-storey tower with a 4-level podium and 5 townhouses has been proposed for the site of an historic 130-year-old Victorian mansion on Sherbourne Street near Bloor Street.

Designed by architect David Roberts and constructed in 1882 for the founder of Toronto’s Gooderham and Worts Distillery, the mansion is perhaps best known as the residential hotel where Pulitzer Prize-winning writer Ernest Hemingway lived in the 1920s while working as a foreign correspondent for the Toronto Star.

June 21 2011: A Broadview Avenue view of four new glass and steel towers that rise high in the Bloor-Yorkville area. At far left is Casa Condominium; in center are X Condos and James Cooper Mansion Condos; at far right with the construction crane is the Toronto Four Seasons Hotel & Residences.

From the ward development update in the Spring/Summer 2011 edition of Ward 27 News from City Councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam (Toronto Centre-Rosedale)

Tight squeeze:Residents of northeast downtown are waiting to see what step a developer will take next with its proposal to develop a condo tower without any residential parking on a narrow site near the busy intersection of Bloor and Sherbourne Streets. The 40-storey tower would rise above a two-storey podium to be built on 395, 401 and 403 Bloor Street East, sites presently occupied by two-storey structures with retail and restaurant space. (The commercial property at 403 Bloor is attached to a three-storey brick house which is included on the city’s list of heritage properties.) The proposed glass and steel residential tower would be bookended by two considerably shorter condo buildings — one six storeys, the other 16 — standing smack against its east and west property lines. It would contain 386 units in bachelor, 1-bedroom and 2-bedroom configurations, but no on-site parking for residents — just three car-share parking spaces along with 200 bicycle parking spots.

The developer’s rezoning application was filed with the city in May 2010. During the previous two years, the developer and its consulting team held “pre-application” meetings with city planners to discuss three separate conceptual plans. The first proposed an 18-storey tower atop a six-floor podium; the second a 40-storey tower atop a two-storey podium, with 77 parking spots in a five-level underground garage; and the third a 40-storey tower on a two-storey podium, but with 80 parking spaces. City staff raised numerous planning concerns about each proposal, including height, density, parking, neighbourhood transportation issues, site access, impact on the adjacent condo buildings, and possible shadow effects on the nearby Rosedale Ravine. The plan eventually submitted to the city raised just as many issues. Consequently, in a July 13 2010 preliminary report, city planners said they could not support the application “in its current form” because of “serious project deficiencies and a general lack of fit with the existing and planned context.”They recommended that a community consultation meeting be held “to determine the nature and extent of changes to be required.”

That meeting took place at the end of January. More than 50 area residents attended, along with Ward 27 Councillor Kristyn Wong-Tam, staff from City Planning, Transportation and Heritage Preservation Services, and representatives of the developer. According to Councillor Wong-Tam’s March 2011 newsletter, the developer and its architect (listed as Page and Steele Architects in rezoning application documents) were “invited to join a Working Group process in order for residents and the applicant to negotiate an agreement on aspects of the building design.” However, the developer has not yet advised the city if it will participate, Councillor Wong-Tam told a meeting of the Upper Jarvis Neighbourhood Association last week.

People living in the immediate vicinity are concerned, among other things, about the impact the tower could have on neighbourhood traffic congestion and parking availability. They say it’s already challenging for residents of the houses and low-rise apartments on nearby Selby, Huntley and Linden Streets to find on-street parking for themselves and their visitors; they’re concerned that it will become even more difficult to find parking on the pleasant, tree-shaded streets once the new James Cooper Mansion condo tower at 28 Linden Street — which concluded construction this winter — is fully occupied. Yet another condo tower bringing hundreds more residents — plus visitors, delivery and service vehicles — into the residential area would only compound that problem. Increased traffic volume and congestion is another worry, since Selby and Linden are one-way streets, as are two blocks of Huntley from Selby to Isabella Street, so it’s inevitable that more vehicles driving to and from the condo towers will wind up circulating through the neighbourhood. Traffic flow on Bloor Street also could be impacted adversely by the 395 Bloor tower, since the developer has proposed incorporating a service and delivery laneway into the building’s west side, accessed off Bloor. Vehicles turning into and out of the laneway undoubtedly would hinder the heavy traffic flow at this point on Bloor, which is only a few dozen meters from the intersection at Sherbourne Street.

I’m sure the tower also would have a huge negative impact on the property values and quality of life for residents in the adjacent condo buildings whose windows would directly face the new tower mere meters away; their units would sit practically within spitting distance of the condos at 395 Bloor. I recall viewing several units in the neighbouring 16-storey condo building at 419-421 Bloor East, including at least one that had west-facing windows. Although the suites were bright, and one had an enormous northview outdoor terrace, I didn’t like the close proximity of the 20-storey Greenwin Square office building to the west, or the two condo towers on the north side of the street (17 and 18 stories, respectively). The highrise “canyon” on this block of Bloor felt uncomfortably confining at the time; I can only imagine how claustrophic and dark it would become with the 395 Bloor tower right next door (both for residents in many units in the new building as well as for those living in the existing condos on either side). To me, a 42-storey building would just be too awkward and inappropriate here; however, I love space and light and enjoy having privacy in my condo. On the other hand, I do realize there are many downtown condo dwellers who don’t mind keeping their blinds closed all hours of the day, and wouldn’t be bothered by a tower looming close to their windows. It will be interesting to follow this project not only to see if the developer does go ahead, but also to watch how quickly the units sell if the condo does get to market. Below are recent photos showing the proposed tower location from Bloor Street as well as from Selby Street to the south.

November 11 1010: South view from Bloor Street of the low-rise commercial retail properties where a developer would like to build a 42-storey condo tower. The James Cooper Mansion condo tower is seen while under construction just one block to the south, on Linden Street.

Condo development proposal sign on Bloor Street

November 11 1010: The proposed condo tower site is bookended by a 16-floor condo building on the corner of Bloor and Sherbourne (left), a 6-storey condo to its immediate west, and the 20-storey Greenwin Square office building (right)

March 1 2011: A view of the east-facing windows on the 6-storey condo building beside the site proposed for a new highrise. The tower would have a service vehicle laneway where the vacant Saisha store sits at present (right)

March 1 2011: The three-storey brick house behind the Hakim Optical outlet is a city-listed heritage property that would be demolished

March 1 2011: Bloor Street view of the proposed development site, showing part of the 16-storey condo building on the corner of Bloor and Sherbourne that would abut the new tower’s east side

March 1 2011: Another view of the site as seen from the north side of Bloor Street

March 1 2011: The upper two floors of the heritage property at 403 Bloor East

March 1 2011: Direct south view of the site from the opposite side of Bloor Street

March 1 2011: The peaked roof of the heritage house behind Hakim Optical

March 1 2011: West view along Bloor of the storefronts on the development site

March 1 2011: East view along Bloor of the storefronts on the development site

March 1 2011: Another view of the commercial establishments on Bloor Street

March 19 2011: Selby Street view toward the rear of the 395 – 403 Bloor Street East condo tower development site. The building with the orange accent stripes, at right, is the 600 Sherbourne Street medical arts centre with doctors’ offices, pharmacies and medical testing facilities

April 2 2011: Selby Street north view of a parking area for the Greenwin Square office building (left), the 6-storey condo at 387 Bloor Street East, an 18-storey condo building at 388 Bloor Street East, and the 16-storey condo building at the corner of Bloor and Sherbourne

April 2 2011: Selby Street view of the medical arts building parking lot that sits to the rear of the 395 – 403 Bloor Street East development site

March 19 2011: Selby Street north view toward the 395 – 403 Bloor East condo tower development site

March 19 2011: Rear view of the low-rise buildings currently on the site

March 19 2011: Rear view of 395 – 403 Bloor East condo tower development site

March 19 2011: Back patio area for the Gov’Nor pub at 401 Bloor Street East

March 19 2011: Rear view of the 387 Bloor Street East condo building next to the condo tower development site

March 19 2011: Rear view of the 16-storey condo building at 419 – 421 Bloor East

March 19 2011: Northwest view from Sherbourne Street toward the 395- 403 Bloor Street East condo development site. The new tower would rise in the center rear of the photo. The elegant mansion and adjacent tower are part of the James Cooper Mansion condo complex at 28 Linden Street.

From a city planning department preliminary report, a site plan illustration for the proposed 395-403 Bloor Street East condo tower

From the planning department report, an illustration of the tower’s south elevation

April 1 2011: The Bedford Road entrance courtyard to the One Bedford Condos building is now being completed.

April 2 2011: Landscaping work is underway outside the Linden Street townhouses at the James Cooper Mansion Condos complex

Yard work: With winter (hopefully) over at long last, two newly-occupied downtown condo buildings are now getting their landscaping and exterior finishing touches. Work is progressing on the Bedford Road courtyard entrance to the One Bedford Condos on Bloor Street, while landscaping and other outdoor property work is underway at the James Cooper Mansion Condos on Sherbourne Street. Below are some recent pics showing what’s been happening at street level outside both condo buildings over the past several weeks.

March 24 2011: South side of the One Bedford tower viewed from Bloor Street

March 24 2011: The One Bedford Condo tower’s signature rooftop design

March 24 2011: One Bedford Condos upper south floors

April 1 2011: One Bedford Condos penthouse level and upper south floors

March 24 2011: One Bedford Condos southeast view from Bloor Street

March 24 2011: Work orders pasted to the windows of upper east side suites

March 24 2011: Glass and steel entrance canopy in the courtyard off Bedford Road

March 24 2011: One Bedford Condos main entrance off Bedford Road

April 1 2011: Landscaping underway in the Bedford Road courtyard

April 1 2011: Landscaping underway in the Bedford Road courtyard

April 1 2011: The brick facade of the studio of noted Toronto architect John Lyle (1872 – 1945) has been incorporated into the courtyard off Bedford Road.

April 1 2011: Landscaping in progress south of the Lyle Studio facade

April 1 2011: The striking Bedford Road entrance canopy

April 1 2011: Landscaping in progress under the glass and steel canopy

Southern exposure: Rows of balconies along the south side of the condo tower at 500 Sherbourne Street, seen here on February 28 2011. Called The 500 Condos & Lofts, the 34-storey building was designed by Paul Northgrave of Northgrave Architect Inc. in Toronto.

One of the sculptures in Toronto artist Eldon Garnet’s latest work, Inversion, at the new James Cooper Mansion condo complex on Sherbourne Street below Bloor.

Wild in the city: A moose was the last thing I expected to see while walking past the new James Cooper Mansion condo building on Sherbourne the other day.

I was on the opposite side of the street, approaching from more than a hundred feet away, when a tall stainless steel platform standing beside the south wall of the historic mansion caught my eye. I could see that a sculpture was mounted on it, but I couldn’t tell what it was — a moose walking down the shiny vertical surface — until I got closer. That’s when I noticed that the antlered acrobat wasn’t alone: nearby were sculptures of other wild animals, including a deer and some fierce-faced gravity-defying wolves and foxes.

Entitled “Inversion,” the captivating sculptures are the work of Eldon Garnet, a Toronto-based artist, photographer, sculptor and writer. A heritage plaque explains that Inversion “is a commentary and a reflection on our urban interaction with nature. Not long ago, the wilderness was considered somewhat threatening and something we should fortify ourselves against. Today, our relationship with nature has turned into a nostalgic yearning to embrace something that no longer exists.”

So very true, though I think that, nowadays, some of the sketchy people wandering our downtown streets look far more menacing than the snarling, ferocious wolf hanging upside down on the Sherbourne Street side of the mansion!

Garnet’s sculptures were stealing glances from a few curious and amused passersby on Thursday, but most pedestrians rushed past without appearing to notice the art. But the creatures will be hard to miss once the chainlink fence surrounding the condo property is removed (which should be soon, since building occupancy begins next month).

Below are photos of the mansion and Garnet’s work; at bottom is an adjustable slideshow of James Cooper Mansion condos construction from start to finish.

Look closely to see a moose, two wolves and a doe outside the mansion at the new James Cooper Mansion condos on Sherbourne Street.